				A fine Fjii Club A rare and very detailed Fiji chief club, Totokia. The lower part of the grip has fine incised zig-zag lines as embellishment and is rounded up by a strong protruding bulge. The top has the typical pineapple-form with rare inlays of presumably bone at the pointed beak.Very nice dark, shiny patina all over. 19th Cent. AD. 92,5 cm long.

				An old Massim Axe An old and complete Massim stone axe with a beautiful green stone tightly fit and bound by rotan into the wooden handle. Decades of use are visible on this rare piece, yet it is complete and perfect. Stylized fishes decorate both sides of the top part of the body. 19th /early 20th Cent.

				A fine Sepik Figure Kinsin is the name of the first ancestor that lived at the area where the Sepik River flows today. He is the father of all men and women, white and black and is caracterized by his slender form and his nose reaching down to the sex. His tongue is protruding from his mouth and the edge of his chin is decorated by a mighty beard as is visible on this figure. All of which are the typical features of Kinsin. Sepik Ancestors, like the ancestors of the Australian Aboriginies often changed their forms and at the same time created the present landscape. Kinsin once changed his appearance to that of a snake and his body became the Sepik basin with the river and all the ground his descents live until this present day. This small and beautiful figure is a rare depiction of Kinsin with all features of the heroe. It is carved in the so called beak style and was used in the Murik lagoon to serve as a shrine figure. It was consulted before those sea journeys the Murik people not seldomly undertook and at this occasion the lower legs were rubbed with a bone or knife to get some of the sacred power from the figure as flour to take with during the journey. The features of this excellent piece are rounded up by a superb patina. Early 20th Cent./ pre 1930, 19,50 cm high.

				A superb New Guinea Stone Figure A superb New Guinea magic Figure carved from a hard stone, with remnants of pigments from many uses in ceremonies. The skillfully composed clear geometric forms of this extraordinary rare type of figure create the spezial charm of it. The quaderly formed head is sitting on a point in between the ankled arms. The dominant element of the nose indicates a central axis, echoes the void in between the feet of the figure and creates the cheek areas at its both sides where the eyes are the prominent elements. The noistrils of the nose are almost as dominant as the eyes and the lower bent line of the nose contraposes the up-bent line of the friendly smiling mouth. For some unknown but certainly ritual reason, the feet are bound with old and patinated strings of rotan as if intending to ever prevent the figure from running away from its new place in your collection. Excellent patina. Lower Sepik or North Coast New Guinea. Please note the other fine stone carvings on these webpages.

				A very fine and elegant female Sepik Figure This fine Sepik Figure has a superb charisma. The way the figure is composed form-wise is incredibly powerful. The figure stands on elegantly small legs and feet and the whole body continuously develops through ever more voluminous forms as it raises upwards. The soulders as the accentuated broadest point of the torso carry the head which is the focal point of this piece. The head is soulfully rendered in soft and confident lines. Held in a slightly inclined position with pointed chin and very talkative mouth and eyes. Thus this figure is a very special conversation piece in the sense that you will feel it is communicating with you when you are both alone! There is an age crack running over the back of the torso. Together with the nice patina this adds to the nobel feeling of this piece. Sepik River, New Guinea.

				A fine Gope Sirit Board As Robert Welsch notes in his recent article on Papuan Gulf Art (in „Coaxing the Spirits to Dance“, Hood Museum of Art), boards like this one are rather Spirit Boards than, as they are usually called, ancestor boards. This beautiful, serene board with a vivid, moving design is thus representing a bush spirit likely associated with the clan or totemic group of the Papuan owner. The board has a nice weathered patina all over and yet has some remains of red ochre. The age cracks do not endanger the stability of the board at all and add to the inspiring character of this piece.

				A fine Sepik Figurine A fine, small Sepik figure with a delicate body of great dynamic forms. This figure must have been the figure a small hook once, as although there is no hint that the feet have been broken off from the hook element (no visible break, all patinated), there is a loop at the back of the figures head for suspension. The fact that the broken off feet are perfectly patinated shows that this figure has been used for many years even after its function as a hook was already history. Presumably the ancestor represented was too important for some reason to be substituted by a new figure, as it was usually done. A piece with a telling history and a form that is powerful although it is small, so much so, that it is easily imaginable from the pictures that this figure would be much larger than it actually is. Middle Sepik, New Guinea.

A fine Middle Sepik Flute Stopper

This fine and old Middle Sepik Flute Stopper is a beauty in its simple and elegant form. It must have added much grandeur to a large sacred flute that was played in initiation ceremonies in one of the middle Sepik villages in the early 20st Century. Adding to the flute the blessing of the important ancestor it must have represented, this flute stopper was among the very sacred objects and was to be presented together with the flute to the adepts during initiation. The expression of the face is almost solemn with the quiet and serious look that does not stand back to the look of deep contemplation found on fine Asian Buddha sculptures. The nose might once have held a septum piercing as a small piece of the lower septum is missing today. 1rst class patina. Please see Gallery IV for another flute stopper. Middle Sepik, New Guinea.

				A rare and fine Mendi War Shield This war shield from the Mendi people in the Southern Highlands of New Guinea is one of the rare ones that feature a clearly recognizable human figure. The figure is highlighted with red colour and carved pattern of small horizontal chips. The outer border of the figure is both a single carved line and white painted rim. The thin arms and legs rendered in the same manner like the rim of the figure have a posture easily likened to the way a lizard angles its extremities. The sharp angle of the elbows and knees are echoed by the two triangles that are set as framing elements on the top and the bottom of the shields. The original rope handle is still in place. A fine piece with a great patina which shows it had been carried in war in a lot of times. Mendi, New Guinea.

				A fine Abelam male Ancestor Figure This fine Abelam/ Wosera Figur is dimensioned in three parts which are about of the same size each. The legs (1) of strong calf and tighs (as seen from the side) are intersected by knob-like, protruding knees. Following the principle of accentuated intersections - like seen at the legs – above the intersection of the prominent sex, the torso (2) already echoes the head with its almond shape. The arms are tightly fastened to the body and adorned with rings on the upper arm and again accentuated wrists. The head with the Wosera-style nose and the T-line eyebrows wears a crown-like waken-headdress with an upward peak. The pouting mouth with protruding lips give it a special individuality, maybe this of a respected elder gone to the ancestor-world. There is a thin brown vesp-line running along the right arm. Few smaller age cracks and a beautiful black patina round up this beauty. Abelam/ Wosera people, New Guinea.

				A rare and very fine Admirality Spear Point Figure This very fine and rare Admirality Figure once gave the power of an ancestor to the throwing skills of a warrior and still has the obsidian blade in the attachment on its head.. The long legs directly come out of the shaft of the spear and are contrasting to the tiny arms that are held by the black accentuated shoulders and are carved in a small distance to the torso. The head sitting on a white collar is carved to pronounce the beak-stile mouth which is effectfully directed to the ground thus melting with the line of the chin when seen from the front. Only when observed from below the opening of the mouth is clearly visible. The white impressing eyes are contrasted by the black line of the head-band. The red parts of the torso framed by areas of black and white symbolise the cycle of birth and perish in the all dominant colour symbolism in Admirality Islands Art.

				A rare and fine Sepik Figure This fine and rare figure is a handle figure from an old Garamut Drum. The squatting Ancestor, with his hands holding his knees , an oval head, slitted eyes und distinctive nose with traditional shell-adornment carved in wood has a large lizard or varanus sitting on its back over the whole length, following a common iconography of slit drum figures. The lizard is ejecting its tongue, as if catching an insect. A bird-like creature is sitting on top of the figure's head. Beautiful dynamic carving and fine patina as the drum has been used for many decades before it was replaced by a new one. Kaireru Island, Mouth of the Sepik.

				A excellent and rare Admirality Island Figure Another rare and excellent piece from the Admiralities in this collection. This single standing Ancestor Figure has been collected by Dr. August Krämer during the German colonial period and was then in the Linden Museum Stuttgart (Inventory number 83997) where it was later de-acquisitioned. It is a beautifully carved classic in every respect. The canon of forms and colours as found in Admirality Islands Art (see descripton of figure 8 in Galley I) is perfectly and effectfully applied in this carving with its white chevrons, black lines and accentuated white areas (eg head, collar). A very fine piece that stands strong and speaks for itself. The first two images of the figure are from a pastel-chalk drawing by Holger Braun, which is not included in this lot.

A very fine and large Stone Churinga

Incorporating the song, totemic story and individual history of the owner, this stone was one of the most sacred and secret objects of Aboriginal Australia. Belonging personally to one person alone, in some societies the owner could only see and touch a churinga for the first time after his fingernails were all pulled out and of course never after instruction from the elders. Churingas were brought out of their hide-aways in dessert only seldomly and were never held or handeled without sychroniously singing their individual totem related song. The symbols on the piece itself stand for a specific (Creator-)Ancestor and tell hie or her story and at the same time they describe a special ceremony contemplating these ancestors. Luckily through the notes of some field researchers we can deciffer a great part of the signs on this special churinga and thus have a glimpse to the ritual connected with it. The central spiral that in other contexts is often referred to as ‘water-holes' is possibly a sand drawing here as on both sides of it are the u-shape signs for sitting person, two on each side. Around the group of men gathered for the ritual are the tracks of emu birds, thus it is surely the ritual of men belonging to the emu totem and the ritual is related to their common emu ancestor. The circle in the middle of the sitting men might then stand for the place where the emu ancestor went into the earth to live on there and to be evoked again from there by ritual.

Once the totem, the churinga, the related stories, the form of ritual and the specific song all belonged together to create one experience. While the song is most likely lost we still have some access to a the setting of the ritual through the signs on this stone, which makes it, apart from the huge seize and its beauty a very special one. Central Australia.

				A fine Aboriginal Wunda Shield A fine Wunda Parrying Shield from Western Australia. Dark red lines contrasted by white lines are running in a generous zizag over old incisions. It is of an elegantly slender form and the colours are strong and vibrant. Beautiful Patina from use. West Australia.

				A beautiful Lower Sepik Betelnut Mortar This beautiful Betel-Nut Mortar is from the St. Augustin Museum with appositional inventory catalogue page. The vessel is held by two almost identical ancestor faces in Janus-composition, finely rendered with great expression. The lower part of the pot bears traditional incisions and it is in these incisions that this piece becomes an especially fine example of a mortar: almost hidden between the faces is a small human figure at both sides. Below the figure is a beautiful fruit-bat motive with rolling wings (see the lower Sepik Mask in Gallery IV for the same incision-motives of human figures and fruit bats). Fine patina from extensive use.

				A beautiful Sepik Figure A beautiful Figure from the Lower Sepik area. The fact that Sepik Art is so famous might well come from the very special set of forms that sometimes lead to impressive carvings like this one: figures so strange of an expression that they seem to come from a world beyond the one we know. This apparition from the otherworld is an Ancestor rendered with a strong beak in the upper part of which are set the dominant, deep eyes. From the side, the beak forms a loop with the body that is topped by a cone-like head adornment. Figures like these have been used in daily magic and the red ochre applied on it was often thought as especially effective a colour adding strength to the carving. A classic and nice carving with signs of use and abrasion.

				An extraordinary beautiful Sepik Initiation Mask This very special initiation mask is an old example from the Karawari River, a tributary of the Sepik. These masks were stored in the men's houses to be used during initiation ceremonies. At a certain stage the initiants will receive the ‘bite of the crocodile', a scar tattoo, by their respective mother-brothers who during the process wear this kind of masks. It is made of cane-weaving and somewhat resembles the haus tambaran (spirit house) with the mouth being its entrance. The blue colour is made from washing powder, which was a fashion to apply as colour on ritual objects during the German colonial period. An extraordinarily beautiful example like it is very difficult to be matched by other examples. Great form and colouring. Karawari/ Blackwater area, Sepik River, New Guinea.

				A fine and rare Boiken Food Bowl This fine Boiken Bowl is rare as it is featuring a complete lizard raising its upper part up from the body of the bowl in a gesture as if in curiosity. Fine carving and beautiful dark patina. Boiken Area, North Sepik, New Guinea.

A very fine Pintupi Aboriginal Churinga

This extraordinary large churinga is from the Pintupi people in the Central Australian Dessert. For a detailed description of churinga usage and significance please see object 3 in Gallery II. While some churingas were of stone, many were of wood and only in wood do we find examples of such a length as this one. After Scrobogna (Traumzeitwanderer, Vienna and Munich, without Jear) the pattern incised on this piece are symbolising water. Both sides of this piece are carved identically in a dynamic pattern of alterating circles and connecting bows in parallel lines. Another interesting thing to note is that the symbols on this and other churingas are made of sets of multiple lines. As the usual tool to work these pieces was a tooth of a possum or similar, broad lines were best achived by setting the thin tracks a tooth produces next to each other to create broader dimensions. Central Dessert, Australia.

				A large and beautiful Fertility Stone The green Je stones from the Central Highland Dani in West Papua are somewhat similar in their form and the way they are treated secretly and with great respect to the Australian Churingas. This stone comes from the neighboring Jali/ Eipo people in the Central Highlands and not only is carved with circles and lines like the Central Dessert churingas are, but also used in fertilty rites' context, just like many Australian churingas are. Not exactly a missing link, but a noteworthy similarity. These stones are quite rare and especially such a large and beautifully rendered one as this example. You can find another, smaller example as well as a wooden shield from the same area in the “<1000” section on this web-site.

				A very fine Geelvink Bay (Korwar) Shield This very fine shield is illustrated in “Shields of Melanesia” by Harry Beran and Barry Craig (Ed.s) on page 29, featuring as the first of the shields presented in this book. There it is described as a war and dance shield. What is the special element which makes this shield a precious and rare one is the clear and complete figure shown on the top front of the shield. The face of the figure with the typical Korwar style anchor-formed nose is framed by rich, dynamic and accurate ornaments. These ornaments are clearly inspired by art forms from the western islands. Even the arms and legs of the figure extend into ornaments and a separate set of ornaments are positioned below the figure with the upmost part sharply set to point to the sex of the figure and the lower part softly swinging downwards the shield. Geelvink Bay. New Guinea.

				A very fine Geelvink Bay (Korwar) Figure This figure is of an excellent individual expression. With one arm missing it looks like a boxer holding the arm ready to throw a punch. Even more this expression is enhanced by the broad and thin, decided mouth and the tiny, pointed bead eyes. The fascination of this expression is rounded up by the fact that this so angry and decisive bloke is cutely fitting into your hand, so no need to fear in case of an acquisition, it's too small to really do any harm! What can't be shown on the images, but is an essential part of this piece is the special honey yellow patina of the soft wood. When the light is right or when it is held next to a light source it begins to shine with a beautiful glimmer. An hardly describable effect and a beautiful aspect of this piece. Geelvink Bay. New Guinea.

				A rare and beautiful Digul Shield Shields from the Digul/ Mappi area are rare and this is a beautiful example of a dance shield. With designs on the shield-body similar to Asmat shields. The potruding upper part might be thought with phallic connotations. At the same time it is making the shield resembling a leave, giving it the piece of the stem and a central axis design-wise. The handle is missing and the break patinated. A well used example which had been kept in the house with the carved part upwards hanging in the ceiling. Thus the beautiful design on it was safed and the back received a nice thick patina from the smoke of the cooking-fire. Digul River, South New Guinea.

				A very fine and rare Lake Sentani Bone Dagger This bone dagger is an extremely rare example from the Lake Sentani Area. Absolutely perfect patina from much wear, perfect form and incised with fine Sentani style patterns. Lake Sentani. North New Guinea.

				A fine and ancient Karawari Cult Hook Face Christian Kaufmann estimates these carvings to be over 200 years old. This piece attracts through the ancient look to it and the look through its wooden eyes is telling one of the longest stories possibly been told by a piece of Oceanic Art. What is special is that despite the considerable age of it and while the form has been changed by passing decades, it is still possible to feel the original ‘spirit' of the piece and also of the wood taken to realize this art work. With the help of passing ages and the wet environment of the cave where it had been stored it has gained this special and telling surface. Note that despite the state of weathering the loop of the pierced nose is still intact.

				A set of three fine Western Dessert Australian churingas Each of these three churingas is special in its own right and different from the others and as a group they give a perfect example of the variations found within Western Dessert form language. For a comment on the functions of churingas please see object 3 in Gallery II. For a comment on the style please see description of object 1 in Gallery III. Each of these three churingas is a fine and used example. While the middle and the right one have plain backs, the left one has an interesting carving of two snakes coming together at a h-shaped place, probably a land-mark. Western Dessert, Australia. Sells as a set.

				A fine Casuarina Coast Asmat Paint Dish Being the first area to have been opened of all the Asmat areas, authentic example like this one are among the oldest Asmat pieces found in collections (apart from very few pieces collected in the early colonial years). This well used paint dish has a protruding figure that has functioned as a kind of handle. Maybe the rare posture of the figure is showing a man preparing the sago grubs for a ritual. The object the man is holding thus might be a sago mat like one example is to be found in the “<1000”-section on this web-page. If this is right, then this bowl might have been used as a sago dish before it was turned a paint bowl. The pattern incised in its lower part and the vibrant colour that is highlighting it is well done. The inner side of the bowl shows mere landscapes of layers of paint, indicating that it has been used to paint a lot of ritual objects over many years. A small area of insect damage to the left rim of the piece. Coastal Asmat, South New Guinea.

				Three very fine Sepik War Daggers These three war daggers from the Middle Sepik are the protagonists is a poetic scene: Imagine the jungle banks along-side the mighty Sepik river represented in the plant-motives on the dagger in the middle. It is night and the thick leaves give free sight to the starry sky and the fastly rushing full moon is responding your glance with a face of surprise (dagger on the left side with moon face). Over the whole scenery you hear the cries of two cockatoos (left and right dagger). The dagger on the right is a superb example of a cockatoo-carving. Not only is the joint of the bone carved like a bird beak (with the tongue in the middle), the upper part of the beak features a miniature bird in itself with a beautifully bent body and miniature wings. Once there were two such birds, one is broken away and the break is patinated. Three very fine pieces that sell as a set. Sepik River, New Guinea

				A nice Telefol Shield This beautiful shield from the Ok People in the Central Highlands New Guinea is of a slender form and shows the common features of pieces from this area. The form of the shields hints to its original use as a house board, the rotan string attached to it as a carrying device though makes it possible that it was used as a shield for protection or representation too. A rare and beautiful piece. Central Highlands, New Guinea.

				A fine Lower Sepik Mask An excellent mask from the lower Sepik/ Ramu area. These masks were used at intitation ceremonies and were thought as inhabited by very potent ancestor spirits. When not used in ceremony, it was carefully kept in the house and respected because of its influence on the living. This example is classic with the beautiful nose swung in a powerful, yet elegant spiral, the roundly shaped prominent eyes and the sharp temple line with fine incisions above. The fine incisions show stylized human figures and fruit bat motives like the Betel-Nut Mortar in Gallery II. The outer chevrons symbolizing a beard join the area around the mouth of the mask with the upper decorative part and the incised figures find their echoe respectively These areas of incisions, highlighted by yellow pigments (and actually the hairy areas of a face), frame and accentuate the red face with its large black eye-areas in which the eyes are set as sharp slits focussing the onlooker. Old carved holes for attachment to a cane superstructure and for tassels to the ears. A fine patina of age. Sepik/ Ramu, New Guinea.

				A very nice Marupai Sorcerer's Charm This marupai is of a very special character. With the original carrying bag still in place this piece is of an exceptional clear design made of bands consisting of tiny highly accurate tines. The patina is nothing less than superb with a shiny deep black. The lower lip is broken in the old days which does not distract from the beauty of this piece. Marupais were used in different ways, most prominently as sorcerer's charms. Papuan Gulf, New Guinea.

				A fine Lower Sepik Flute Stopper This beautiful small piece is a flute stopper from the Lower Sepik/ Ramu area. Rendered like one of the large initiation masks with the beak-style nose and the tiny shell inlay eyes, this flute stopper was attached to one of the bamboo flutes that were played at the same occasions at which the the large masks were also used. The part of the stopper that once went into the bamboo-shaft of the flute looks like a cylinder-hat and fits great to the marupai whose small bilum bag a bit looks like a bonnet. Lower Sepik/ Ramu area, New Guinea,

				A fine Asmat Crocodile Bone Dagger This fine Bone Dagger is a ritual dagger from the Asmat People. It is decorated by tufts of cassowary feathers, red and white seeds. Old binding, fine form and patina. Asmat, South New Guinea.

				A rare Aboriginal Stone Churinga This stone churinga is very special because of the extraordinary type of iconography. One side shows a snake meandering over the length of the stone. The other side shows an arrange of signs or symbols, of which two could be interpreted to be a bough and a boomerang. A rare, interesting and beautiful example of a stone churinga.

				A beautiful Mahakala Mask from Tibet. Vibrant colours and expression. Small loss at the mouth. Fine patina.

				A fine Himalayan Shaman's Mask. Good signs of wear and use and a an age loss running across the mouth in a way that perfectly adds to the strong appearance and charm of this piece.

An Himalayan Shaman's Mask of the form of a cat of prey.

It is easy to imagine impressive performances with this rare form of a mask. Old losses at the jaws and rigt ear. Well used.

				A nice and old Himalayan Shaman's Mask with a moustage. Good signs of wear and use.

An impressive Himalayan Shaman's mask

Like with N° 2 of this collection the loss at the mouth is strongly adding to its expression. A piece that must have executed a strong impact on the participants of a healing seance. Well used.

A friendly and beautiful Shaman's Mask of an oblong form.

Maybe featuring a monkey. Well used and patinated. Terrail, Nepal.

				A fine Himalayan Shaman's Healing Mask. A classical one with a fine patina.

				A nice and very individual Himalayan Sherpa Mask. Of an akward but powerful form. A mask whose look does not seem to take it too seriously.

				A fine Himalayan Sherpa Mask. Of a clear and expressive form. Nice patina.

				A beautiful Himalayan Shaman's Mask with an open mouth. Showing it's tongue as if talking in explanations. The eyes fix the on-looker. Old, well used piece.

				An impressive Himalayan Shaman's Mask. With a very concentrated and severy look that is easy to imagine to have impressed its spectators a lot. Well used.

				A Tibet Mask of a very characterfull expression. Presumably representing a demon. Well used.

				A very good Himalayan Shaman's Mask. Of wide open eyes and mouth. Remains of red colour. Fine Patina.

				A fine Himalayan Shaman's Mask with beard. Very acurate features and a sophisticated and severe look. Fine Patina.

				A beautiful Archaic Himalayan Shaman's Mask. A smaller type than the others (ca 20 cm). Deep patina from use. Repair visible at the back of the mask.

				A fine Himalayan Newari Copper Mask. Very clear expression and well used and patinated.

				A beautiful Asmat Pirr Sago Mat. Used in sago ritual. The mat is of a dense weaving with an abstract painted design. It was made by women, who incorporate their special knowledges of clan issues into the abstract design similar to like the men do in their shields. These mats are usually used and treasured over years and repainted at reactivation. Asmat, West Papua.

				A rare and fine Marind Anim Stone Spear-Thrower Tip. Attached to the tip of a spearthrower of wood or bamboo (by a cord going through the chamfers of the stone) the spear was laid onto the spear-thrower with the tip of the hook at the rear tip of the spear. These stones were much treasured objects among the Marind Anim and served as money in exchange. Marind Anim, South New Guinea.

				A fine Timor Lime Container. With two pending lime containers of bamboo attached to an elaborate canopy of coconut shell adorned with old Dutch coins. Some of the coins are original from the 17th Cent! Had been attached to a belt and worn by men. A very fine and beautiful piece of artwork with tiny incisions, beads and age old jingling coins. Timor.

				A fine Jali People Head Decoration. Rare because the wood part of the adornment is carved in the same way the shields of this area are. With swinging Cockatoo feathers it was worn attached to the back of the head of a warrior. I was told by a Jali elder that sometimes it was also used for divination. Jalimek, Central New Guinea Highlands.

				A set of four Eipo People Ear Plugs. These ear plugs have been worn by men of the Eipo in the Central Highlands. Decorated with small incision-carvings. One plug shows the drawing of an airplain, probably a Cesna as they are often used to cater this rugged mountain area. Fine patina. Eipo-mek, Highlands of West Papua.

				An Admirality Obsidian Spear Tip ex Webster Collection. Beautiful old example. W 42 ex Webster Coll. Please inquire for more excellent Admirality Islands spears and carvings. Admirality Islands, North Coast New Guinea.

				A beautiful Asmat Figure. Hardwood, slender form and fine carving. Asmat, West Papua.

				A Jali People Net Bag of Pig Tails. Pig tails are been collected at any pig feast (earth oven cooked!). If a collection is complete a women might work it into such a bag for her husband to use at a daily base to carry all odds of things. The jaws of the same bigs can be found neatly collected in a rack in the men's house, smoke-patinated by the central fire. A rare and beautiful piece. Jali, West Papuan Highlands.

				A collection of Dayak Ear-Weights. With 680 gramme (!) the large drop-shaped earweights of this small collection are probably the heaviest example to be found anywhere in collections or museums. A pair of small children's earrings and a pair of sets of single rings accompany this rare find. Dayak, Borneo.

				A nice set of Timor Mandrels. Interesting varying forms, great patinas and very special items. Timor.

				A great Sepik Stone Carving. An ancestor face and a lizard are combined in here in a great way. Gentle and very fine forms create a great tension within this carving. It can be set on the mount in two different ways. Almost like two pieces for one price! Sepik, New Guinea.

				A rare and nice Brazza/ Asmat Shield. The design is a geometrized abstract human form, tiny hands are visible at the inner ends of the red spiral motives. What is nice is that you can not actually tell if the carver intended red spirals or white ones. It's a vexir-image, ie depending on your personal decision you see it as white OR as red spirals. Inner Asmat, West Papua.

				A nice Citak/ Asmat Shield. It is carved on a slightly bent board which gives it a vivid appearance when seen in reality (the images do not really show this). The motive is often interpreted as a water-motive. The yellow areas on the head of the shield are said to be cheeks. Inner Asmat, West Papua.

				A beautiful small Asmat Drum. The skin is intact and held in place through being attached to the handle like it is sometimes also found on drums from the Papuan Gulf. Beautiful patina. Asmat, West Papua.

				A fine New Ireland Kapkap. Delicately carved turtle shell onlay on tridacna slice. New Ireland.

				A beautiful Sepik Kina Shell. Adorned with Kauri and Nassa Shells. Old patinated binding. Sepik, New Guinea.

				A set of Lake Sentani Glass Money/ Beads and a Ring. These items were used as a currency within the Lake Sentani Societies. The origin of these items is uncertain. Neatly wrapped they were usually stored away treasures. The green glass items were especially treasured and a means of ranking the glass items in value was checking the way the bubbles within the glass were dispersed and if there were bubbles at all. For this purpose the piece was held against the sun. This beautiful green ring has bubbles more beautiful than visible on the photos! Accompanied by 4 green beads. Sentani Lake, North New Guinea.

				A precious large Tridacna Shell Money Ring. Some of these rare rings that were used at exchange ceremonies on the North Coast of New Guinea are of this enormous large size and made of one piece of shell. North Coast New Guinea.

				A rare and beautiful small axe. This small but fine axe is probably from the West Papuan Highlands. Special is the carved human face on the handle and the form of the grey/ green stone, which is slightly concave on the lower side of it and is carved in very subtle and accurate lines. Beautiful patina on the binding and handle. West Papuan Highlands.

				A Sepik Ancestor Figure. This figure has served as a Betel-Nut Mortar. It is carved as a complete Janus figure, which even the more rare as the body of both figures is the same one. Carved in beak-style with deep hollow eyes, a heavy looking body on strong legs and large feet (on both sides!) The strong figure iconographically seems to be really set for the purpose to sustain the heavy force of crunching betel nuts on the small vessel in its hands, sustaining it with its strong body. Form and function unite in a great artistic solution. Sepik, New Guinea.

				A nice New Guinea Highland Aumak with a tiny Kina Shell. Of small bamboo sticks strings tightly joint together. Each bamboo stick stands for a certain amount of Kina shells that are brought into the Moka exchange circle by a bigmen. Each Kina shell that is lent is supposed to come back with some extra interest. The longer the aumak of a man the more people he has working for him to enlarge his wealth and the more influential he is. A beautiful example and special with the attached kina Shell. Southern or Western Highlands, New Guinea.

				A rare Eipo West Papuan Highland Shield. This shild from the Eipomek has been used in fertility rituals and is carved in the same geometry as the small Stone found also on this page. A deep carving with remains of red, white and yellow pigments. There are several other items from the Eipomek and Jali People to be found among the items currently on offer on these pages. A very rare piece. See the book “Shields of Melanesia” for a shield from the same area. Eipo-mek, West Papuan Highlands.

				A small Eipo Magic Stone. Same design as the shield above and used in a similar context to enhance the fertility of garden crops. Beautiful and rare piece. Eipomek, West Papua.

				A Dani Warrior Adornment. From the Dani in the Highlands of West New Guinea is this net-bag, that was worn at the neck hanging down to the back of a Dani Warrior. Feathers of a bird of prey. Dani, West Papuan Highlands.

				A fine Yalibu Presentation Stone Axe. This axe was used in dances (singsings) to enhance the impression of strength of a warrior. The stone is a very dark green. Great patina and good, classic form. Southern Highlands, New Guinea.

A fine Fjii Club

An old Massim Axe

A fine Sepik Figure

A superb New Guinea Stone Figure

A very fine and elegant female Sepik Figure

A fine Gope Sirit Board

A fine Sepik Figurine

A fine Middle Sepik Flute Stopper

A rare and fine Mendi War Shield

A fine Abelam male Ancestor Figure

A rare and very fine Admirality Spear Point Figure

A rare and fine Sepik Figure

A excellent and rare Admirality Island Figure

A very fine and large Stone Churinga

A fine Aboriginal Wunda Shield

A beautiful Lower Sepik Betelnut Mortar

A beautiful Sepik Figure

An extraordinary beautiful Sepik Initiation Mask

A fine and rare Boiken Food Bowl

A very fine Pintupi Aboriginal Churinga

A large and beautiful Fertility Stone

A very fine Geelvink Bay (Korwar) Shield

A very fine Geelvink Bay (Korwar) Figure

A rare and beautiful Digul Shield

A fine and ancient Karawari Cult Hook Face

A set of three fine Western Dessert Australian churingas

A fine Casuarina Coast Asmat Paint Dish

Three very fine Sepik War Daggers

A fine Lower Sepik Mask

A very nice Marupai Sorcerer's Charm

A fine Lower Sepik Flute Stopper

A fine Asmat Crocodile Bone Dagger

A rare Aboriginal Stone Churinga